[Noozhawk’s note: One in a series on the teachers who will be honored Nov. 2 at A Salute to Teachers, presented by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office.]
Eight public school educators will be recognized Nov. 2 at the 11th annual Salute to Teachers, an event hosted by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office at the Music Academy in Montecito.
Laura Branch — a Righetti High School science teacher in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District — is the 2025 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year.
Rich Lashua, a performing arts and theater teacher at Santa Barbara Junior High School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, will be recognized as the 2025 Santa Barbara Bowl Performing Arts Teacher of the Year.
The 2025 distinguished mentors to be recognized are kindergarten teacher Socorro Chávez of Isla Vista School in the Goleta Union School District, first-grade teacher Eugenia Pappas of Santa Ynez Valley Charter School in the College School District, and English language arts and concurrent enrollment instructor Jordan Willis of Orcutt Academy High School in the Orcutt Union School District.
The 2025 distinguished new educators to be honored are Ryan Blasena, an extensive support needs special education teacher at Hope School in the Hope Elementary School District; Noe Gomez, a dual-enrollment chemistry teacher at Carpinteria High School in the Carpinteria Unified School District; and Oscar Velasco, an ethnic and gender studies teacher at Santa Maria High School in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.
In addition to Cox, Salute to Teachers is sponsored by Noozhawk, Fielding Graduate University, Melfred Borzall, Rusty’s Pizza and the Santa Barbara Bowl.
Noozhawk Q&A
Noozhawk: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Eugenia Pappas: Teaching is a noble profession that requires patience and understanding. These are characteristics that I aspired to develop in myself.
Noozhawk: How long have you been teaching?
EP: I have been in the teaching profession for more than 25 years and for 13 years at Santa Ynez Valley Charter School.
I have been working with children since I first began taking early childhood classes in high school. It was then that I began to discover and understand how much teaching makes a difference.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite subject or lesson plan to teach your students?
EP: My favorite subject in first grade is to teach the joy of reading. I have an extensive library within my classroom where reading habits and stamina are developed with the hope that every student who enters my classroom will have a lifelong love of reading.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite part of being a teacher?
EP: Building authentic relationships with all the students on campus is the best part of the job of being a teacher.
Taking the time to genuinely see and listen to the students in order to build trust and respect are key in the success of students, and knowing that I am directly involved in helping a student feel like they matter and belong to our community is vitally important to me.
Knowing that the time I take to build these relationships with my students has a direct correlation to their higher levels of success is inspiring. I know I am helping them to succeed.
Noozhawk: What are the challenges of your job?
EP: The day-to-day commitment to be an effective teacher to all the different learning abilities and styles within a classroom are the biggest challenges of being a first-grade teacher.
I have learned to be very flexible and to remember that the rewards of teaching greatly outweigh the daily challenges.
Noozhawk: What are you most looking forward to this school year?
EP: I am looking forward to watching the students grow and develop throughout the year.
Every year I feel very honored to be part of the sixth year of a child’s life. They are quickly developing and everything seems so new and awe inspiring. They are on the brink of becoming their future self.
Noozhawk: Who are your mentors?
EP: Throughout my career I have been fortunate enough to have many teachers from many different educational backgrounds mentor me both in big and small ways.
From the many preschool teachers I have worked with in my earlier years to the professionals within the community in places like the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.
Educators and mentors are all around us. My first mentor has always been my mother, Carolyn. She taught me to persevere and lead with hope, bringing forth all things possible.
Noozhawk: Who are the people in your life and work environment who support you every day?
EP: During the school day, my biggest supporter is Lara Schmeiser. We have been colleagues for more than five years and she is a joy to work with.
She is currently the performing arts teacher at Santa Ynez Valley Charter School, yet she has been in the role of both second-grade and kindergarten teacher.
Additionally, Dr. John Dewey, my director, is always available for support, to give advice, or just chat about the day-to-day events. I greatly appreciate him.
In my personal life I am very lucky to have a big extended family. I am especially fortunate to have my close and loving friendships with my mom, son and my husband, who are always in my corner cheering me on and reminding me that I can do anything I set my mind to.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite quote?
EP: “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Noozhawk: How does it feel to be honored as part of A Salute to Teachers?
EP: I am overwhelmed to be honored at A Salute to Teachers. Teaching is a group effort, and I feel very grateful to my colleagues for nominating me to receive this award and recognition.
It’s working with the team at Santa Ynez Valley Charter that makes the difference. They make teamwork dream-work!
